3. The difference between the reputation of Aristarchus and
that of Copernicus and Galileo lies, according to Russell, in the
fact that in ancient Greece, astronomy was an amusement of the
idle rich and not an activity integrated in the life of the
community. In the sixteenth century, however, science had made
important inventions, the discovery of the Americas had shown the
limitations of the ancient knowledge of geography, Catholic
orthodoxy had begun to be an obstacle to material progress and
the fury of theologians made scientists appear as heroic
champions of a new wisdom (ibid., p. 25).